London has been battered by 50mph winds that have felled trees and caused travel chaos. Powerful gusts swept across the capital as the Met Office issued a yellow "be aware" weather alert for most of the country.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has claimed it is too late for Real Madrid to make a move for Luis Suarez.

Fresh speculation surrounding the Uruguay striker has begun just days after he appeared before Liverpool's opening home game of the season apparently content to remain at Anfield for the time being.

But with Real Madrid - the club top of Suarez's list when he first sought a transfer earlier this summer - linked with a move for him, Rodgers said there was no longer enough time remaining in the transfer window to countenance losing last season's top scorer.

"It's very difficult at this time [for a Suarez bid to succeed]," Rodgers said. "We are trying to get one or two more quality players in through the door. If we lose Luis at this stage it would be difficult to replace him.

"There might have been a point a few months ago where there was time to do it but with 11 days to go it would be difficult to replace him."

Rodgers is satisfied with his dealings to date, bringing in Kolo Toure, Simon Mignolet, Luis Alberto, Iago Aspas and Aly Cissokho, but was unsuccessful with some of his more ambitious targets.

The Reds were keen on the highly rated Henrikh Mkhitaryan but lost out to Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund while interest in Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa came to nothing.

Now Anzhi Makhachkala's Brazilian forward Willian appears to have snubbed Anfield but Rodgers, whose side impressed in their season-opening defeat of Stoke, is not perturbed.

Rodgers said: "Over the course of the summer we have been very ambitious in our attempts to improve the team. Some might say too ambitious - but this is Liverpool Football Club.

"We are trying to get the best players we possibly can. If we can't get them in we just have to move on. We have 11 days to go. We have to do everything we possibly can. It hasn't changed.

"If you want to claim the league you have to have quality and get the best players you possibly can to help you climb. That is our aim. If you don't get the player you want there is that initial disappointment but you can't dwell on it. There is still a chunk of the window left.

"We did some business early on in the window that was very good and if we can finish off in these remaining days and get some players in that can help us, it would end a very good window for us."

Rodgers is considering strengthening his central defensive options after Sebastian Coates suffered a serious knee injury on international duty last week.

The Uruguayan has struggled to establish himself since joining the Reds two years ago but for Rodgers he was an important member of the squad.

Rodgers said: "I think it is something we are looking at certainly, a player to come in in that position. I feel for big Seba. It is probably going to rule him out for most of the season, which is a big problem."